Like Father, Like Son
by FarmerChick
Summary: When Jack's mother dies, he is sent to live with a father he never met and despises. Then, Celia comes into the picture, and he is forced to reconcile with his father or regret never having a relationship with him. T for swearing and suggestive themes.
1. Chapter 1

**Hey, there! For those of you who are waiting on my next Teeth of the Dragons chapter, I'm gonna be doing this for a while instead so I can have time away from the project.**

**Summary: When Jack's mother dies, the seventeen-year-old boy moves in with a father that abandoned him before he was even born. Then Celia, a sweet sixteen-year-old that lives not five minutes away, comes into his life and makes him feel guilty for his discontent towards his father. Will Jack be able to reconcile with his father before it's too late?**

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><p><strong><em><span>Chapter One<span>_**

_You look just like your father._ Those were the last words my mom said to me. _You're just like him, too. Jackie, don't hate him._

Then, she was gone.

I cried for at least four hours, refusing to leave her side. She had been the only constant in my life, the only one I could tell my secrets to. My best friend.

And she died.

Now, I was being sent off to live with my father. I had never even _met _the man.

He and Mom had never married, as they only spent a summer together. Mom, eighteen at the time, was visiting the village of Forget-Me-Not Valley, where my dad, who was twenty, was working on a farm with his best friend, Takakura. _It was a wonderful summer, Jackie._ she had told me. _It was just after I discovered my cancer. The doctors recommended that I take a break from the city and enjoy the scenic view for once. The Inn I stayed at was just across the road from Jon's farm. It was, actually, love at first sight. We made love without protection, because we planned to get married. But then I got a call...your great-aunt had died, and I needed to be there. Jon offered to come with me, but I told him to stay and do what he loved. I didn't find out until after that, though, that I was pregnant with you. I didn't have the heart to tell him, because he would leave the farm to stay with us. He loved that farm, Jackie. It was his life's work. Please don't hate him._

She always said that. _Don't hate him._ I couldn't help but hate him, though. I didn't know why-I just couldn't stand the man.

And now, here I was, standing on my father's doorstep.

_Here goes nothin'._

I lifted my hand and rapped on the door.

Half an hour later, I sat stiffly at Jon White's kitchen table. His face, darkened from sun, was a copy of mine. In fact, it was almost like we were clones. _Mom, you weren't kiddin'._

"So," Jon said, voice cracked. "Jenny died?"

"Yeah." I replied. "Just a month ago, actually."

"And, you're our son?"

"Yes. Because I'm underaged, the court sent me here to live with you."

"I see."

Before he could speak again, I said, "Let's just get one thing straight, Jon. I have _no_ intention of letting you be my father. If you loved Mom so much, you should have contacted her _years _ago. You're _not_ my father. I don't have one. I'm Jack Robert Ernstine, and I always will be." With that, I stood up, taking my black duffel bag with me. "Just so you know, you gotta sign me up for school. Mom would kill me if I didn't graduate."

My room wasn't exactly a _room-_since no one had told Jon about me, he didn't have a room prepared. Therefore, I had to sleep in an old tool shed. I dropped my duffel in a corner and began rolling out a futon when I heard a knock on the door. "Come in!" I called.

An older man walked into the shed, face lined with wrinkles. "Hey, kiddo." he said awkwardly. "I'm Takakura, your Pa's friend."

"Jack." I replied. "You don't have to try to be 'cool' or anything, Takakura. Just be who you normally are, please. It'd be wierd."

He let out a breath of relief. "That's exactly what Jon said to me when we first met. It's nice to meet you, Jack. It...It'll be nice to have another helping hand around here."

**Well, that's the first chapter. If you didn't get it, It's basiclly what would happen if it was Jack's mom that died in the beginning instead of his dad, and he was only seventeen at the time. No AU/AW.**


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary: When Jack's mother dies, the seventeen-year-old boy moves in with a father that abandoned him before he was even born. Then Celia, a sweet sixteen-year-old that lives not five minutes away, comes into his life and makes him feel guilty for his discontent towards his father. Will Jack be able to reconcile with his father before it's too late?**

**Hey, I'm back~**

**Anyway, I have an interesting story to tell you guys. This morning after church, my youth group had a fundraiser dinner in our commons area. My friend's six-year-old little sister was chasing a high schooler around the area when we were cleaning up afterwards. By some of the tables, we have plastic mats so the tables won't roll. Another one of my friends had been cleaning the mats with a wet cloth. Next thing you know, BOOM! The high schooler was under the table, holding his knee. LOL!**

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><p><em><strong>Chapter Two<strong>_

I woke up the next day to, ironicly, the sound of a rooster crowing. I thought daggers to said rooster and sat up in my futon. The shed door opened, and Jon walked in. "Rise and shine, boy. It's five, and you need to ge gettin' up so you're not late for school."

"'Kay, old man. Just tell that damn rooster to shut up."

Jon chuckled. "Good ol' Carl never misses the dot." The bane of my existance left the shed, and I got out from under the covers, wondering who would name a rooster Carl.

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><p>An hour later, another knock came on my shed's door. It opened to reveal a blond boyd a girl with bright red hair. Both were around my age.<p>

"Heya!" the boy said. "I'm Rock Inner. My parents run the Inn down the road. That's Nami Runner, a resident of the Inn."

"I'm not a resident, Rock." Nami protested. "I'm just going through."

"For nine months?"

"...Shove it."

I chuckled at their antics. "I'm Jack Ernstine. It's nice to meet you two. I assume Jon asked you to show me the way to school."

"Righto, Jackie-boy." Rock said. There're some other kids in town, but we're gonna meet up with them at the bridge. Come on, we don't wanna keep 'em waiting."

I knew Rock and I would be good friends.

We set off, bags slung over our backs. When we reached the old, wooden bridge, there were five other kids there. One was a girl of about ten, with short, caramel-colored hair and dark eyes. Another, a guy, had black, slicked back hair like a poor imitation of Elvis Presley. A girl with long, dark hair and equally dark eyes stood next to a girl with curly blonde hair and a rather impressive bust. The last, a guy with dark hair and vaguely reminded me of a hippie, had a guitar slung over his back instead of a bag.

"Hey, guys!" Rock shouted. "This is Jack Ernstine!"

The young girl bounced over to me. "I'm Lumina Evans! I live in the villa, if you ever wanna visit me!"

"I'm Muffy," the busty girl said. "Muffy Harris. I'd _love_ to get to know you better, Jack." She was uncomfortly close, and I was sure my face resembled a tomato.

"Don't tease the poor guy like that, Muffs." The long-haired girl said. She walked up to me calmly and held her hand out. "I'm Celia Brown. It's nice to meet you, Jack."

I shook her hand. "Same here."

She turned to the Elvis dude and said, "Marlin, introduce yourself."

"Marlin Williams." he grunted. "You don't look too infuriating, but I haven't know you too long."

"I'm Gufusta." The hippie said. "If you're ever lookin' for a song to soothe the soul, I'm your man."

"And that's everybody." Rock announced. "Let's roll, homies!" He slung his arms around Gufusta and Marlin, the latter of which growled.

"Get off me, you queer!" Muffy giggled, and Celia looked flustered. Lumina grabbed my hand.

"If you don't stop being men over there," Nami warned. "we're gonna be late for school."

That seemed to snap them out of it, and the eight of us began our walk to the school.

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><p>The school was a few towns over, and we had to go to Mineral Town to get a bus. It was a school for kids who lived in small farming towns, so it was almost free, but at a cost-if you failed even <em>one <em>class, you got booted out.

After school, I walked home with Celia, since everyone else had clubs and such.

"What about you?" I asked. "Are you interested in anything?"

"Just farming, and the botany club just deals with flowers and herbs." she replied. "You?"

"Animals. I've always liked them. Probably my Mom in me, though. She owned a small pet store in New York."

"Where is your mom? Rock said that you came to live with your dad, but..."

"She...died. About a month ago, actually."

Celia nodded, as if she understood. "Hurts, doesn't it? My own parents died a while ago. I moved in with Vesta, Marlin's older sister, and I live with them now. They take really good care of me, but I wish Mom and Dad were still here."

I didn't know what to say. "Sorry." I said finally. We were walking down the long hill from Mineral Town to Forget-Me-Not Valley and, somehow, I became reluctant to say goodbye to her.

"Don't be." she said. "It wasn't your fault, Jack." Her right hand touched the back of my left, and I stretched my fingers out. We were holding hands, fingers intertwined like puzzel pieces. She smiled at me. I smiled back. We stayed that way the rest of the walk, which ended at the bridge.

"That's my house," Celia said, pointing to the small, two-story building farthest from the bridge. "Come visit anytime; Vesta is a great cook and a wonderful person. You'd like her."

"I just might take you up on that offer." I said. "When you get to Jon's farm, my room is the old shed near the biggest field."

"Okay." she said. "Bye, Jack."

"See ya later, Celia."

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><p>As I was sitting in the pasture later, I though of Celia. She was pretty and down to earth, which was more than I could say about the girls in NYC. And, after everything that had happened to her, she was so cheerful! <em>She's perfect<em> a voice in my head said.

I quickly shushed the voice. After all, what chance would I have with her? After all, I-

"Jack!" I immediately stood up to see Celia running towards me, something bundled in her arms.

"What's wrong?" I jumped over the fence and ran towards her, only to see her crying.

"The dog...it isn't breathing!" She was right, the dog's chest wasn't rising.

"Give it here!" I demanded. She did, and I used what little knowledge of animal CPR I had.

I got lucky.

Within moments, the dog was concious.

A female with a large stomach.

"She's pregnant." I told Celia, who was now crying from joy. "Due pretty soon, from what her teats look like."

"You're kidding."

"I'm completely serious. If she's yours, you should build a box big enough for her puppies to all fit in, and tall enough that they can't get out. And put some blankets in it and feed her puppy food for the extra nutrients."

"Y-Yes! I will. Thank you, Jack!" She threw her arms around my neck, and I flushed at the contact.

"No problem." I stuttered. _I just might stay here for a while._


	3. Chapter 3

**I'm alive! Did you guys miss me?**

**Anyway, I'm sorry that I haven't updated in a while, but things have been pretty hectic around my house. I don't own Harvest Moon any more than I did last chapter.**

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><p><strong><em>Chapter Three<em>**

The next morning, Carl woke me up again. As I dressed, I entertained thoughts of getting a shot gun and, consequently, having a chicken dinner later that night.

I left my shed and headed to the barn to brush Ned, Jon's horse. He was light brown and young, almost a colt. Ned let out a soft whinny at the sight of me, and I chuckled.

Brushing Ned reminded me of taking care of the animals in Mom's store. It was calming, and, without realising it, I began talking to the horse.

"There aren't a lot of kids here." I mumbled. "Rock, there's a guy I could be friends with. He reminds me of Ramon, one of my old buddies. Nami's a wanderer that's been around for a while, I guess. Muffy, jeeze! She's got some big boobs, and she ain't afraid to show 'em off. Not that I'd go for her, though-No, Celia's more my type. She's really nice and pretty. Then Lumina's a little one. She reminds me of this kid I used to watch sometimes when Mom needed extra cash. Marlin's kind of a jerk, even if he does look like Elvis. I don't know what to make of Gufusta, but he seems like someone I could hang out with. Even if he is a hippie."

Suddenly, a feminine voice rang out from outside the barn. "Hello, Mr. White. I'm Celia, the girl living with Vesta. Is Jack in?"

_Celia!_ I swore, and Ned gave me a curious look.

"If he ain't in the shed, hes pro'ly in the barn. He loves them animals, that kid."

_Traitor!_ I mentally yelled at Jon. _How could you tell her that? _Trying to appear calm, I went back to brushing Ned. That's how she found me, smiling softly.

I turned around and pretended to be suprised. "Good morning, Celia." I said.

"Good morning, Jack." she replied. Her hair looked so soft. "Are you ready for school?"

"Yeah. We're going early?"

She blushed and looked utterly adorable. "I thought it'd be nice to have some alone time. I love everyone, but they're kind of loud."

I completely agreed with her. "I'll grab my backpack."

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><p>As we climbed the hill to Mineral Town, our fingers were intertwined. In order to fill the silence, I asked about the dog.<p>

"Oh, Jack, I was so suprised!" Celia gushed. "I never would have thought Roxie would get pregnant! There aren't any male dogs I've seen around, so it's a mystery. I took your advice and built a box for her. She's taken a liking to it."

"Come get me when she goes into labor. I've seen enough canine births to know what to do." I told her. She cheerfully thanked me.

When we got to Mineral Town, we found that we still had a while before the others got there, so we decided to sit on a bench. "This is gonna sound really lame," I warned her. "but, tell me about youself."

Celia laughed. "Well, let's see. Only child, born to two loving parents in Flowerbud Village. No romance in my life, so far. I love plants and hope to work on a farm until I die. Speaking of death, my parents...they died a few years back in a fire. I cried for a long time. I loved them both, and it was so hard to have them taken away from me." She looked at me somberly. "This may sound silly, but, if I lost you, Jack, right here and now, I think I'd cry even longer."

I swallowed, face red. She leaned her head on my shoulder, and I smiled, taking her small hand in my larger one. "I'm not going anywhere, Celia. not for a while."

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><p><strong>Waaa~ It's short! I'm sorry It's not longer, but I wanted to get another chapter up. Soon, hopefully, I'll post another one, so look forward to it.<strong>


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